FGO Camelot Chapter

The first scene is a conversation between an unseen ??? and another person called Lucius. The whole thing is vague and confusing. Lucius wakes up and ??? asks him if he understand the situation, which he says he does.

>???: “Soul, Mind and Body, the trinity components. They have all been covered in moss throughout your wandering.”

These are the three components that make up living beings. Now that I think about it, Nasu hasn’t revisited that explanation since Rakkyo.

>???: “Let the promise to the sinner be upheld. This is definitely the last opportunity. But you do understand, don’t you? Regardless of the result of this fight, you will be extinguished. Your soul will be used up, you will be severed from the Samsara and your existence will fall into nothingness. Will you still head out even then?”

Lucius tries to get up and confirms that his body is in bad condition, and using up the last of his soul’s energy to move.

>Lucius: “But the remains of my mind burned away long ago just as my spirit and body… no, that is all. My mind right now is for the sake his King’s light…”

??? bids him farewell with some vague talk about going to the place where he once fought with his companions to  face his sin, and then Lucius shows up in a crater-filled wasteland. He identifies it as a foreign country and says he’s been traveling for a long time, then corrects himself and says it’s more like he’s been loitering aimlessly, and has seen many worlds both beautiful and ugly. He muses about how the lifeless place reminds him of his hometown, but then corrects himself again.

>Lucius: (There’s a limit to cynicism. Compared to this hell, my hometown is prosperous enough.)

>Lucius: (Then this is the end that has been granted to my travels. I take step onto the sandy ground. No matter what must be sacrificed, this time… This time, I will kill my king with this hand.)



We cut to a flashback in Chaldea, from the inside of the container that’s been shown several times.

>???: “Today as well I wake up at the same time. Body temperature confirmed. Five senses confirmed. I speak my own name in order to ascertain this objectively. Mashu Kyrielight. That is the name given to me.”
>Roman: “Good morning. Let’s begin then, Summoning Case Number 2…. No, I should call you by your proper name today. It’s okay, the recorder is turned off. Good morning, Mashu Kyrielight-kun. I am Romani Akiman, I’ll be your attending physician from now on. You mind if I sit here?”

Seems everyone had only talked with her through a separating glass before, and Roman is the first one to speak to her directly. He says that it’s because he’s a novice, so it’s easier for him to get things across in person.

>Mashu: “I see. I nod in agreement. Certainly, there is much more information that can be acquired this way than through the glass. Wording. Line of Sight. Temperature. Smell. Posture. I had not experienced these things until now. So this is what is called being human-like. My first human-like reaction… I agree to the man’s proposal. Good morning, how do you do, Doctor Romani.”
>Roman: “Ah, I don’t really like being called Romani, and Akiman is a bit too extravagant. Please call me Roman. ‘Doctor Roman’ has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

Mashu fires off into some long-winded musing about… something. Honestly, I can’t make heads nor tails of it but I think she’s just being autistic.  Roman find sit funny she’s being so adult-sounding as if she were his superior when she’s only 12 years old.

>Roman: “Though maybe that’s fine, I only began working in Chaldea five years ago, so you’re my Senpai. Heh, really, how miserable. I’ve been the head of the medical division for five years and yet I hadn’t noticed this area was here all this time. Sorry.”
>Mashu: “Doctor Roman apologizes without reason. What a strange person. And he is also mistaken. The Senpai-Kouhai relationship is one of Instructor and Student. I have not been taught anything by the Doctor. My knowledge is received from SHIVA, so in that sense SHIVA is my Senpai in knowledge.”

She goes nitpicking about how this is not correct either for a long while getting absolutely nowhere, which reminds me of how she acted in the intro. This is almost certainly Nasu writing, which makes me realize how much the other writers failed to grasp how damn weird she can be at times.

The conclusion of her spergy Senpai-Kouhai monologue is that whoever she might call that would have to be a living average person.

>Mashu: “An ordinary person with not the highest, but rather the best parameters. Someone who would not slacken nor hurt others and stand strong. That is because I have been given life with such a person as my model.”
>Roman: “Hmm, I see. But it’s true that there aren’t many people like those here in Chaldea. What we do have are geniuses that are a cut above the rest.”

What he says read “genius”, but the kanji means “oddball / eccentric freak.”

>Roman: “But there are both good and bad humans. The Senpai you yearn for must be out there somewhere.”
>Mashu: “the Doctor’s words left a huge impression… the Senpai I wished for from the bottom of my heart.”

>Roman: “Anwyay, once again, pleased to meet you, Mashu. Let’s hope we have along and lasting friendship.”
>Mashu: “Yes, I answered.”

>Mashu: “I am a designer baby created for clinical experiments. My predicted operational life is 18 years at most. I have been operational for 12 years so far. If the operations succeed, I have six more years. Ahhh, I am so happy. That’s because I still have so much time. ”


Cut to the control room, where Roman finishes telling you about all this.

>Roman: “Chaldea might be sponsored by the United Nations, but on the inside it’s a research institution controlled by the Magic Association… rather, the Animusphere family. For the sake of protecting the future of humanity, they carried out a great number of inhumane experiments.”

WIZARDS: NO SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG.

Also, yeah, seems that the UN knows about magic in this universe, though it’s never been entirely clear to me if the general public does.

>Roman: “That is the Heroic Spirit-Human fusion, the Demi Servant experiment.“

He explains that since Heroic Spirits return to the Throne when their summoner dies, the previous Director (meaning Olgamarie’s dad) considered them too unstable and wanted something more reliable. By using children with exceptional magic circuits as catalysts in the summoning process, they fused a Heroic Spirit into them and effectively turned the Heroic Spirit into a human, making the baby and the Heroic Spirit into the same thing. Mashu was born in 2000 as of these artificially incubated and genetically-manipulated catalysts.

>Roman: “She may be called the same as a Homunculus, but fundamentally she is the same as a human with exceptional magic circuits, so please do not mistake her for anything else.”
>Protagonist: “It’s not like I would.”
>Roman: “Ah, that’s right, I was stupid to worry about that.”

The fusion experiment was carried out in 2010. It nominally succeeded and became known as Chaldea’s Second Summoning, but the Heroic Spirit laid dormant inside her without manifesting.

>Roman: “It was a pure Heroic Spirit after all. That person couldn’t approve of Chaldea’s… no, the previous Director’s actions.”

Since trying to leave would have killed Mashu, the Heroic Spirit just chose to not wake up at all. At the same time, they realized that fusing the heroic Spirits with human bodies could also be a mistake (not sure why, but maybe because they realized the Heroic Spirit retained some control). For example, Roman says there could be complications if the summoned were an Anti-Hero. All this caused the experiments to be set back for one year, and at the end, they found the previous Director dead in his room, apparently ruled as a suicide.

After that, Roman got permission from Olgamarie to integrate Mashu with the rest of the staff, since even if the Heroic Spirit stayed dormant, she also had first-class aptitude as a Master.

>Roman: “Marie was worried at first, though I understand her feelings. Her idealized father had just died and he had been carrying out such cruel experiments in the dark. The shock made her close to anorexic for nearly a month.”

This all happened as the same time as she took over as Director, so she was perpetually on the verge of a nervous breakdown from stress on top of already being naturally prone to worrying.

>Roman: “She’d have a habit of shrieking loudly that ‘Mashu will take revenge on me for sure! She’ll kill me cruelly in the bathroom or something!’ And yet, even scared of her as she was, she never turned her eyes away from Mashu. That was one of that girl’s strong points.”

It was Olgamarie who recognized Mashu as a free individual and let her move as she wished through Chaldea. She could not be allowed outside though, because as strong as her magic circuits were, her body was too pure and used to sterilized environments and wouldn’t adapt to the outside world.

The majority of the designer baby experiments ended in failure, and Mashu’s cells deteriorate abnormally fast. She cannot age or die normally either.

>Roman: “Like a robot with its power cut, she’ll just stop moving abruptly one day.”

In a rare display of sentience that I’ve noticed only happen when Nasu’s writing, the main character shows emotion and hits something in anger.

>Protagonist: “You knew this and yet-!”
>Roman: “I know, but I am her physician. Her life has a definite end, but that can be said for all living things. Life is always sad and painful, it’s the same for Mashu, you or me. Humans cannot flee from the terror of death.”

He goes back to narrating and explains Mashu had been selected as the head of the A Team, and half a year later, Chaldeas’ fire had vanished (Note the ‘s’ at the end. Unlike the name of the institution, Chaldeas is the ball in the middle of the room whose brightness indicates humanity’s situation and odds of survival) and Olgamarie took responsibility for investigating this before the United Nations.

You know what happened next: you and others were recruited, shit blew up, Mashu awakened as a Demi Servant and could see the outside world for the first time. However, this made no change to her lifespan, and she’s still going to die at 18.

>Roman: “In other words, she only has one year to live.”
>Protagonist: “Does Mashu know this?”
>Roman: “She shouldn’t. At the very least, nobody here has told her.”

A staff member (yeah, there are some other survivors, apparently) calls to notify that they’ve finished adjusting Mashu’s body. All her vitals are normal and she seems to be waking up so they want to know if they should make her sleep longer, but he tells them to let her do as she wants.

Roman says that she’ll probably head there as soon as she wakes up, so he asks you to please not treat her any differently from now on. You ask him if he’s alright with all this.

>Roman: “Not at all. But this is the best I can do.”


Da Vinci suddenly shows up, apparently having been listening to the conversation

>Roman: “You were hiding!?”
>Da Vinci: “I was listening!”

Leo actually intended to tell you about this if Roman wouldn’t, but congratulates him on having the balls to speak up, saying she was worried he might use his position as Chaldea’s (sort of) commander to keep Mashu out of combat for personal reasons.

>Roman: “I’m not that soft, you know. I know well what needs to be done.”

He’s hoping that in return for rectifying humanity’s collapse, there might be some kind of reward they can use to lengthen Mashu’s lifespan.

>Da Vinci: “That leads us to the matter of the Holy Grail.”

In short, if there’s one Grail left even after you beat Solomon, you might be able to use it to save her. You’re all real happy about this for a moment until Fou makes some warning noises and everyone shuts up as Mashu enters the room.

>Mashu: “Mashu Kyrielight, reporting to the briefing room 27 minutes late! …ah, everyone seems to be having a friendly chat. What’s it about?”
>Protagonist: “Mashu, is your body alright!?”
>Roman: “Why are you running like that!? You should still be resting, Mashu!”
>Da Vinci: “…right after they said they wouldn’t do that, these two.”

Da Vinci just bullshits something about you being worrywarts, and Mashu assures that she was just tired due to the strain of battle but that she’ll be ready for the next one.

>Protagonist: “…next one?”
>Mashu: “The Sixth Singularity. I heard from the staff that the coordinates had been located… were they wrong?”
>Roman: “…even though I put a gag order on them. Even the control room staff have gotten sloppy.”

Seriously, how many people are there still in this place? Are you telling me they couldn’t hook a couple to the coffins for extra Master support? Did ONLY the normal non-magic people survive by complete fucking coincidence or what?

With all this out of the way, Roman finally starts briefing you on the next destination.

Roman: “The age is the thirteenth century. The location is the place known as the Holy Land, Jerusalem. Specifically, the year is 1273 AD, right after the end of the Ninth Crusade and the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.”

He says he actually had detected this Singularity before America, but that he couldn’t get a clear reading. The area is blank on the Chaldeas sphere, and the signals just blink on and off. So whereas you previously went to investigate the point at which the age goes bananas, this time you have to figure out why the age literally vanished.


You get the usual speech about taking care and it all being in your hands, when Roman notices Da Vinci humming and heading to the Coffin and he asks what the fuck he’s doing.

>Da Vinci: “This is an EX-ranked unseen mystery, so they will certainly need a genius’ help.”
>Protagonist: “You have nothing better to do, don’t you?”
>Da Vinci: “I AM busy, but I have an interest in Jerusalem’s construction! It’s a simply artistic interest, but it’s something vital for humanity’s history!”
>Roman: “I’m not going to authorize that, idiot!”


Roman says that they won’t be able to return until the Singularity is fixed and asks him what wold happen if they need him before that.

>Da Vinci: “I know you like me a lot, but I’ll get angry if you speak like that. What Chaldea needs is humans. I’m just a carefree Servant.”

Roman relents saying that it’ll be good for you to have some on-site support, and Da Vinci gives you a small warning about the clusterfuck of beliefs that come in conflict on Jerusalem, how this’ll be much harder than before and how you’re going to a far-away foreign place.

>Fou: “Fou! FouFouFou!”
>Mashu: “Yes, I’m excited about trying the regional cuisine too!”

There’s a last round of well wishes and then you go.



2)

The scene opens in what I assume is Camelot.

>Sanzou: “Anyway, thanks you for taking care of me, Knights of the Round Table.”
>Gawain: “…”
>Tristan: “…”
>Mordred: “…”
>Sanzou: “What’s with the heavy atmosphere all of a sudden, did I say something strange? Is it because I said ‘I’m tired of this city so I’m going home’?”
>???: “…of course. You mean to say that you wish to part with us?”
>Sanzou: “What of it? I have no enmity with you guys. To start with, this was always a short visit, I’m going back from Tenjiku to my hometown.”
>???: “That is hard to believe, Genjou Sanzou. You are a Servant, there is no need for you to repeat your actions from when you were alive. There is no need for you to return to your hometown and in any case, that place does not exist anymore. Where in the world would you have to return to?”
>Sanzou: “It’s not that sort of pragmatic thing, it’s a matter of the heart. I need to head back home.”

She says she’s lonely without her disciples and then praises the city, saying that it’s clean, prosperous, the food is good and that it’s overall like a paradise on Earth.

>Gawain: “Thank you, we are proud to hear those words. Then, Lady Sanzou, why not choose to stay at our castle?”
>Sanzou: “Thank you, Gawain-san. I appreciate how courteous you are to women. But please give it up, it’s in my nature to be like this. Well then, I’m leaving for the desert… ah, I’m taking Touta too, by the way. Thank you for everything so far! Bye Bye! Ciao! Zaijian!”



>Gawain: “So she went. What a pity, she really cheered the place up. She was a girl much like the sun.”
>Mordred: “Really? I’m relieved, I couldn’t stand her. But what will we do, Agravain? Nobody’s allowed to leave the castle without father’s permission, that’s the Round Table’s rule. Or rather, isn’t that woman a hindrance?”
>Agravain: “I think so too, Mordred, but the King has already given permission. We have no pretext to stop Genjou Sanzou from leaving the castle.”
>Mordred: “Gah, really? And I finally had a chance to stab her from the back. Oh well, it’s not like that girl can do much by herself on the desert. Hey, you chicken bastard, look alive!”

Fuck this pun. She says トリ野郎, which literally means that, but is using the “Tori” part of “Toristan (Tristan)” to mean “chicken” or “bird.”

>Tristan: “…! My apologies, I was not asleep. Please continue talking without minding me. Ah, if it’s talking about women again, then it’s not me but rather Lancelot… It’s sad, but that man has a lot of love experience.”

Oh yeah, because you’re so fucking different.

>Gawain: “Then, Sir Agravain. The King will only speak to you, the assistant. What about the rest? Has the King given any orders in relation to protecting this Holy Land?”
>Agravain: “Don’t be conceited, the King has nothing to say to you. All you need to do is show your devotion to the King as knights. Genjou Sanzou is a foreigner, but she is not the traitor of which we have read in the stars. ”
>Tristan: “’When the foreign star shines, the white wall will be cracked by conspiracy, the King’s authority will darken and the oracle’s tower will crumble.’ …what a beautiful and sad poem. If it were needed, I could…”
>Agravain: “The King has allowed it, so Genjou Sanzou must be let go. The ones you must watch for are foreigners that will come after this. The one bearing the heavy task of preserving humanity. Soon, this world’s last Master will come.”

The “world’s last Master” line always means you.

>Agravain: “The King has ordered everyone to carry out this task without fail. The King carries the responsibility of the world on their shoulders, so we must take care of all the trifling matters ourselves. And now, Knights of the Round Table, you must show your true devotion.”
>Gawain: “…”
>Tristan: “…”
>Mordred: “…”



Meanwhile, in the place where you show up.

>Protagonist: “My eyes! My eyes!”

You Ley Shift inside a fucking sandstorm. You three rush behind a “rock” which Da Vinci realizes is actually a bone from a huge dragon-sized creature, and you try to contact Roman. However, the link is dead so you can’t reach Chaldea, and to make matters worse…

>Da Vinci: “This is Before Christ! When we get back, I’ll give Romani a special punishment! The age is wrong… the age is wrong… wait a minute, I’ll investigate my instruments…”

I’m not entirely sure why they’re so sure the date is wrong, but it seems to have something to do with the sandstorm and it not looking like how the age’s Jerusalem should.

Fou suddenly gives you a warning, and then you are attacked by monsters.

Mashu and Da Vinci ask you if you could see what the enemy looked like, since they couldn’t make it out even mid-battle, and you tell them that it looked like a knight in armour. Everyone whines a bit more about not being able to see shit and then Da Vinci’s instrument detects another incoming enemy, and warns you that this one is serious shit.

After the fight, Da Vinci regrets that you couldn’t kill the monster before it fled and identifies it as a Phantasmal Beast around or even greater than a Dragon in power, which Mashu confirms is a Sphinx. According to Da Vinci, it’s something closer to a Divine Spirit, and it was “fighting” as though it was just yawning and stretching, so it wasn’t even serious and you should try to flee if you meet it again.

Da Vinci then detects a water source and a town to the west, so you head there after Mashu notes your lips look dry and you’re looking blue in the face, so they need to find you a place to rest.


3)

>Mashu: “We will have crossed over ten kilometres soon… Master, please bear with it. Or… maybe I could carry you? If you got on top of my shield, I could tug it along with a rope…”

Da Vinci notices that the sandstorm is actually charged with magical energy and hands you something that looks like an oxygen mask, which he says he just made in a rush. It’s actually a magic-blocking device to help you endure the atmosphere of the storm, which is messing you up.

…wait, whatever happened to that unexplained resistance you had to the mist in London? Doesn’t that count? They just completely forgot about that shit, didn’t they? It’s not like they ever explained that beyond vaguely alluding it had to do with being contracted to Mashu…

You continue towards the river, with Da Vinci saying he can see a large building in the distance that looks like a temple.

>Da Vinci: “Wait, sorry. This is as far as we go.”
>Mashu: “Why!? It’s only a little farther!”
>Da Vinci: “There are countless shadows between here and that building Take a look.”
>Protagonist: “…I stopped counting at twenty.”
>Mashu: “There’s definitely something loitering around but, what is it?”
>Da Vinci: “They’re all like the sphinx from before. It seems to be a free-range breeding ground for them.”



Since trying to cross is suicide, Da Vinci says you should retreat and look for shelter elsewhere, while musing that he can guess who the owner of that temple probably is.

>Da Vinci: “If push comes to shove, I can provide an all-purpose cottage, so don’t worry. It’s three times as comfortable as…”

Mashu suddenly interrupts as she see someone coming from the temple, and realizes it’s a Sphinx. Da Vinci tells you to run, saying that he would have rather not having been seen by the “skull faces”, but that it can’t be helped. You linger around for a moment wondering what that meant, which allows something to catch up to you, though Da Vinci notes its energy readings are too low to be the Sphinx.

Turns out it’s a robed figure, which shouts something about you being soldiers of the Sun King. They’re carrying a tied-up woman they call the “Queen”, but the anti-monsters talismans they were using don’t help against humans, so you could see them. The robed figure orders others to “clean up” but leave one of you alive for questioning, and then you fight.





>???: “My mask…!”

One of the robed figures is struck and revealed as Hundred Face, which you recognize as a Hassan.

>Hundred Face: “What’s with that reaction!? Don’t call our name so casually, you imbecile!”

Another of the robbed figures identifies Mashu’s armour as looking similar to those used by the “Holy City” troops. She orders them all to stand back since she realizes you’ve got Servants, but then stops herself as she realizes you’ve been going easy and haven’t killed anybody yet.

>Hundred Face: “Do you intend to mock us? Are we mountain people not worth killing? Ahh, whatever, it’s our victory either way. Our goal was only to abduct the Queen. So long as we have this woman, those sphinxes…”
>Robed Troop: “Uhm, Hundred Face-sama, while we were busy fighting, that parlour-trickster…”
>Da Vinci: “I’m not a parlour-trickster, I’m a genius! And a shrewd one too! I snatched the bound woman while you were busy.”
>Hundred Face: “You bastards, are you Ozzymandias’ troops!?”
>Protagonist: “I’m [Name]! Who are you, pretty lady!?”
>Hundred Face: [Blushing] “I-I’m the Hundred Face Hassan! The chief of the west, one of the Old Men of the Mountain!”
>Robed Troop: “Hundred Face-sama, the Sphinxes are returning! And there’s some weird things covered by cloths too!”
>Hundred Face: “You idiots, that’s Medjed! You’ll be cursed if you meet its eyes!”

Hundred Face realizes they’re outnumbered and orders the other to evacuate, telling them to make sure not to drop the stolen food as they retreat.

>Hassan: “Listen up, Shield Girl, Staff Woman… wait, woman…? Whatever, Staff Servant! And that human! I will remember you! I shall not forget this resentment!”
>Protagonist: “It was legitimate self-defence!”



The Hassans all retreat, aided by their anti-wind charms that allow them to ignore the sandstorm.

Da Vinci unties the bound-up girl and finds her sleeping,
>Da Vinci: “Hey. [Light slapping] Hey, wake up. You’re before a rare genius here….”
>???: “Uhhhnn… no, Pharaoh… if you pull my hair like that… they might look like ears, but they’re magic catalysts to represent Horus… definitely not bed hair… eh!?”
>Protagonist: “Good morning.”

>Nitocris: “Who are you, you brutes!? How dare you act violently towards the Pharaoh Nitocris!?”
>Mashu: (Nitocris! She’s an ancient Egyptian witch queen, Master!)
>Da Vinci: (Yeah, she might not look very solemn, but she wields mysteries from 2000BC)
>Nitocris: “Don’t start talking in low voices! Are you laughing at me!?”

She thinks you’re the ones who drugged her and took her out of the palace, so she says she’s going to subjugate you in the name of the Sun King.

>Nitocris: “Open, oh mirror of the underworld! Let my disgrace be inflicted on them thousand fold!”
>Da Vinci: “Whoops, shouldn’t have poked her with my staff that much…”



After beating her, Nitocris whines about only being at half power since she just woke up but says that she’ll get serious now, while you continue to try and convince her that you’re the one who saved her.

>Nitocris: “You have no proof of that! Why would you help me!? You say you were here only by coincidence? Why come help me then? This is nonsense, in this doomed land, nobody helps others without hoping for something in return!

You hesitate to fight her and she silently wonders if you might be telling the truth, but still decides to fight and summons the Sphinx.

>Mashu: “If we have to fight that Divine Beast in this condition…!”
>???: “No, please raise your face. No matter what divine Beast it may be, your shield will not break. You are in the right after all. A fight born from a misunderstanding is easy to overcome.”
>Nitocris: “Who is it!?”
>???: “I have not yet the karma to give my name, but please think of me as an enemy.”

He then turns to you.

>Lucius: “I am Lucius, a master-less Servant. You may think me meddlesome to barge in your conversation, but please bear with me. If you wish, I will lend you assistance. Please use my sword however you wish.”
>Nitocris: “You talk big for someone who seems so weak! I’ll smash you all at once and turn you into slaves! Prepare yourselves!”




>Lucius: “Pardon me!”
>Mashu: “Amazing, the Sphinx has been completely destroyed! It can’t regenerate its spirit anymore!”
>Da Vinci: “That knight’s right arm… no doubt, that’s Airgetlám’s radiance! The Celt war god Nuada’s divine arm! That Servant is using a divine-class mystery as a weapon!
>Nitocris: “Awawawa… The Pharaoh’s divine beat… the beast Ozymandias-sama left in my care has been destroyed… what do you have to say now!?”
>Lucius: “I am sorry, but I figured this was the only way to resolve the matter. Please listen to us, oh sleeping Pharaoh, Horus’s incarnation, Nitocris-dono.”

Lucius tells her that he saw you save her from the Hassans, and that if she does still not believe you, he’ll have no choice but to fight her again. She still has trouble accepting some foreigners helped her, but Lucius argues back until she’s convinced, and Mashu notes how she suddenly goes quiet as she looks repentant and you use the chance to press the issue-

>Protagonist: “Please believe us!”
>Nitocris: “Kya! Wh-what’s with the loud voice all of a sudden!?”
>Protagonist: “We were helping you!”
>Nitocris: [Blushing] “Ahh, uhm… yes, thinking it through, that’s the only explanation… you have my gratitude, travellers……. Sorry, my temper again…”
>Protagonist: “By the way we want to drink some water!”
>Nitocris: “What? W-well, we have an oasis…”
>Protagonist: “And some fruit too!”
>Fou: “Fou, fou!”
>Da Vinci: “And some place to rest and take a bath!”
>Nitocris: (What’s with these people, they got really shameless all of a sudden! Ahhh, but I owe them gratitude for saving me so…)

Nitocris finally decides to let you in on the Sun King’s holy ground and tells you to escort her there, so off you go.


4)

>Nitocris: “Oh wind, I release you from your duties for a time. In the name of Nitocris, reveal the heavens to me!”
>Mashu: “The storm has stopped, Senpai! The sky is completely blue and clear.”
>Nitocris: “That’s a good smile. Seems my showmanship was good after all.”

With the sandstorm gone, you also get a look at the usual ring of light in the sky, which Nitocris says is annoying since the sun is all that ought to be shining up there. She tells you you’ve got a two hours walk to the temple and are about to start off when Lucius stops and wishes you good luck.

>Protagonist: “You’re not coming with us?”
>Lucius: “I have no business with the Sun King, but I will not stop you from going. It has been merely a happy coincidence that we met here. I am first and foremost a wanderer not fit to mingle with others. “

As he’s leaving, Da Vinci asks Mashu what kind of feeling she gets from Lucius, like if she feels nostalgic when looking at him or something. She answers that she’s not sure, but she does get a weird feeling from him, after which Da Vinci guesses he gave a fake name.

>Protagonist: “Is the name weird?”
>Da Vinci: “Rather than weird, it seems more like a joke. ‘Lucius’ is the name of a Roman emperor from Historia Regum Britanniae. He was a person without any particularly special achievements, but… anyway, the point is that it’s probably not his real name. The strange part is the Noble Phantasm in that man’s right arm. That’s Nuada’s right arm, the shining arm Airgetlám. Well, he’s not Nuada himself, so maybe a replica… That power isn’t normal though, to destroy a being close to being a phenomenon like a Sphinx… curious, curious… Besides, I’m jealous as another artificial-arm user! I want one tooooooo~! Something that can beat a Sphinx-”
>Nitocris: “Enough with the useless chatter, are we going to the great temple or not!?”


Nitocris wants to hurry back so it won’t be discovered that she let herself be kidnapped, though you say that she’s probably been found out already. You give her your names at last and she tells you to guard her as you make it back to the temple. Mashu asks her why she’d need a guard if this is her territory, but she says that it is the Sun King’s territory, and that she only has jurisdiction over the wind and some magic beasts.

>Mashu: “By the way, Queen Nitocris, is that thing creeping behind you one of this land’s creatures?”
>Nitocris: “!?”
>Monster: “GuRuuuuuuu Zbuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

Obviously not, so you kill the monsters. You gotta love the production values here, they couldn’t be arsed to come up with a different sprite, so you get one of the robbed figures to represent the lovecraft squids….

Nitocris asks you where you come from after the fight, and Da Vinci warns you not to say anything about Chaldea, since she’s not your ally. Leo bullshits some stuff about being travelling craftsmen, which she doesn’t entirely buy since she can tell you’re not part of her kingdom.

>Nitocris: “Where are you from then? The Mountains? The Holy City? And what’s a ‘Master’ anyway?”

Mashu asks her how she could not have been given knowledge of the Servant system when she was summoned by the Grail, and Nitocris answers that she was summoned by Ozymandias and doesn’t know anything about any “Servants.”


You continue the chat as you walk. Nitocris was only told about how to control the sandstorms and other stuff, including the situation with the ongoing war, but doesn’t know much outside of that. She says that Ozymandias is in himself synonymous with the country, and so the land itself was summoned alongside him. He dominated most of the territory fairly quickly after showing up, but he’s opposed by the native Saracens in the mountains and the knights from the Holy City.

>Da Vinci: “The people who live in Jerusalem?”
>Nitocris: “-----wait. Jerusalem?”
>Mashu: “Queen?”
>Nitocris: “Who are you, really? That place no longer exists! The Holy land has been destroyed! There is no one who lives in this land that doesn’t know this!”

She realizes you’re mighty suspicious and decides she can’t bring you into the palace after all, so she summons another Sphinx and restarts to sandstorm. In gratitude for saving her, she’ll stay out of the fight and allow the Sphinx to test you. Da Vinci muses about how Pharaohs were revered as living gods in their territories, but that Nitocris is a bit pitiable since she’s too nice for her own good, since she can tell she’s limited the Sphinx’s power to only 10% its full output. Nitocris tells you to cut the chatter, and the fight begins.

Afterwards…

>Nitocris: (Even though she looks so frail, her hand and feet aren’t shaking at all…)
>Mashu: “Queen Nitocris! The Sphinx has let us pass. Is your trial over as you said!?”.
>Nitocris: “Splendid! The Sun King acknowledges your power. You have no need for my guidance from here on! Come out of the storm without fear, and be bestowed the the Sun King’s benevolence! Until then!”

Nitocris takes off, and Da Vinci guesses she’s trying to keep her distance so she can do her job properly without risking getting too friendly with you. The rest of the Sphinxes have retreated though and you can cross safely, so off you go.


5)

You finally cross the last dunes and arrive to the temple, taking a few moments to check it out.

>Mashu: “That’s the Sun King Ozymandias’ castle. Ramesseum Tentyris, the legendary Shining Temple Complex!”
>Protagonist: “Aha, I see… who?”
>Da Vinci: “Ah, that’s right, this is usually the part where Roman gives you a lecture.”

Mashu gives you a cliffnotes history lesson, which I’ll skip since this is stuff you can read in Wikipedia.

>Mashu: “He was also said to be a great architect. He was said to claim that ‘all temples on earth are my creation.’ If that is true, then the world’s oldest dynamo, the Lightbulb of Dendera, might be connected to his legend.”
>Da Vinci: “The Sun King was also known as the Builder King, and his temple became one of his Noble Phantasms.”
>Mashu: “Let’s go in! I’ve never seen an Egyptian building before!”

Da Vinci asks Mashu if she’s managed to contact Roman yet, but the connection is still dead. Leonardo then begins explaining his theory about your current situation: you definitely ley Shifted to 13th Century Middle East, but the place you arrived to doesn’t exist anywhere on Earth. His staff is an instrument that measures magical energy, and the readings it’s picking up are inconsistent with the age, appearing much older. Ozymandias was summoned alongside not just a bunch of sand, but rather the territory itself including its BC-era conditions. Since space-time is all screwed up, you could neither Ley Shift into Jerusalem nor contact Chaldea, and the desert exists as a sort of disruptive foreign element.

Anyhow, Leo figures that it’s better to figure each mystery at a time, so for the time being, you go see Ozymandias.

>Da Vinci: “If the stories are true, he should be a really hard-to-please pretty boy!”




>Ozymandias: “Hmmm… Sleepy… I’m really sleepy…”
>Mashu: (Senpai, we’ve arrived at a VIP-like throne befitting of this temple, but… That brown-skinned man rubbing his eyes on the throne, is that really King Ozymandias!?)
>Nitocris: “You have finally come, mysterious travellers! You are a bit late, but do not mind it! Having overcome the trial of the Sphinx, you have been graciously granted an audience with the King! Now, prostrate yourselves before the King, and he may rise from his fatigue to bestow his words upon you!”
>Protagonist: “That’s King Ozymandias? Seriously?”

Nitocris admonishes you for being rude and fires off into speech about his greatness and so on, until he languidly remarks that it’s rare for her to get so fired up and be so loud, so she must like you all. She then apologizes for the outburst, since saying those things is something she should have left him do himself.

>Ozymandias: “That’s right. Stealing my fun is a heavy sin. I’ll cut off one of your arms later and stuff it in a bottle.”
>Nitocris: “Yes, I thank you for your kindness.”

>Ozymadnias. “Now then, you are foreigners? My name is Ozymandias. I am a God, I am the Sun, I am the Pharaoh that rules the world. From the past to the present that has not changed, though being called Rider is a bit tiresome. Here in this small throne I pass the time amusing myself from my boredom, and therefore… therefore… I’m sleepy.”

Skipping along: he knows you’re from Chaldea, that you’re here for the Grail and that this is the sixth Singularity you visit. He got all this information from the Grail that showed up in the desert, which he now has.




>Ozymandias: “The King of Magic gave it to someone else, but after appearing in this land, I took it from the Crusaders-“
>[His head slips off his neck]
>Fou: “FOU!?”
>Ozymandias: “…from the crusaders, as it is something more fit for a king such as myself.”
>Mashu: “That, uh… King Ozymandias, that was… really surprising!”
>Da Vinci: <-- (Nods without saying anything)
>Protagonist: “His head just fell off!”
>Ozymandias: “Impossible. You must be tired from the journey, so I’ll forgive your disrespect this time. There’s nothing wrong with my neck. Anyway, as I took the grail I-”
>[It happens again]
>Ozymandias: (He’s looking at you as if asking if you saw)
>Protagonist: (Look away without saying anything)
>Ozymandias: “Nitocris!”
>Nitocris: “Y-yes, Pharaoh, what do you need?”
>Ozymandias: “Time for a change of pace! Let’s exercise a bit! Summon the fire spirits to awake me! Let’s go, Master from Chaldea! I am especially pleased with your silence just now!”
>Mashu: “Master! King Ozymandias is preparing for battle for some unknown reason!”
>Da Vinci: “As I expected, this King is a self-absorbed pain who’s not aware how annoying he is!”

So you fight.



Ozymandias is amused with the fight and says that it helped him put his neck back in shape, though he confirms to Nitcoris that you are his enemies, since he knows you’re after the Grail. She apologizes for having invited his enemies into the temple, but he says it’s his fault since he never told her anything about the Singularity and so on, so she had no way of knowing.

He then says that he expected you to die around the Fourth Singularity, but that you are already too late and that everything is over now. The Grail appeared, two bands scrambled across the Holy Land, one defending and one attacking, and in the end one took the Grail and the whole place ended turning into a breeding ground for the Demon Pillars. Had you arrived earlier, you might have been able to prevent it, but it’s too late.

Da Vinci then points out he’s leaving stuff out, and suggests that he was probably summoned on the side of the Crusaders, whom he saw as enemies. He then summoned the land of Egypt into this area, and this is what lead to the whole thing going tits up.

>Ozymandias: “You are quite wise. Who are you?”
>Protagonist: “Leonardo Da Vinci”
>Ozymandias: “Ah, I know that name. That brilliant genius from human history. I see, the line between geniuses and deviants is paper-thin!”

Da Vinci asks him if his guess is right.

>Ozymandias. “Hahahahaha, sorry to say, but you are wrong, foreign wise one! I am as omnipotent as the sun! As if I would think of using a poisoned cup as this Grail! I am the Grail’s owner and its guardian! Listen well, this Singularity is a special case. If you wish to see the responsible for humanity’s destruction, head to the wreckage of Jerusalem, to the one sitting in the throne of the holy city of despair! The Lion King! The one known as the Pure White Lion King!”





Later outside, Da Vinci says that Ozymandias treated you to a dinner, then immediately told you to piss off and kicked you out. You flash back to him again, when he tells you that as desert dwellers, he understands the harshness of travelling, so he has to at least entertain you a bit.

>Ozymandias. “But don’t think it is so simple. You lack resolve. Observe this world’s truth, this world’s cruelty. Afterwards, I will grant you another chance.”

He knows that, as the ruler of the land who has the Grail, you’ll have to come for his head sooner or later, so you’ll fight it out when the time comes.

Mashu grumbles about not getting a chance to check out more of the building, and Nitocris tells her to be grateful since he’s giving you food and water already. Mashu thanks her, and Da Vinci is happy as well since he’s also taken a bunch of materials from the temple.

>Nitocris: “The King might be heartless, but he tolerates brave warriors. Also, it seems he likes your Master a bit. His relaxed way of doing things seems to remind him of an old friend.”

She then warns you that Ozymandias is still terrifying, and that you are fated to die next time you meet.


Mashu thanks her for the advice, and Nitocris then begins talking with her alone. She tells Mashu that she can tell she lacks resolution just like her and is afraid of combat.

>Nitocris: “You fight valiantly as a Servant, but I can see your true nature.”

She then cheers her up by telling her that while she herself turns cowardly in front of Ozymandias, Mashu’s different, since she swallows up the fear and puts on a strong face, and that she is supported by her Master.

>Nitocris. “Compared to the Pharaoh, I’m a bit jealous.”




You ask the two what’s up, and Nitocris tells you not to butt in in girl’s talk and wishes you luck before taking off on one of the Sphinxes.

>Da Vinci: “How enviable, I’d like to ride one of those at least once.”
>Protagonist: “What’s with all that noise you’re making?”
>Da Vinci: “Behold! I’ve done some manual work after all this time! Using the timber that King Ozymandias gave us, I created this to help us cross the desert! I shall call it, the all-purpose Ornithopter Sphinx!”
>Fou: “Fou, Fouuuuu! (Quite Liberal Translation: “Da Vinci-chan’s an idiot, right!?”)”
>Mashu: “This is like a buggy I’ve seen somewhere, it’s really out of place for the thirteenth century!”

The buggy’s apparently made entirely with wood, so technically speaking, it’s within the limits of what was achievable in the thirteenth century, so Da Vinci says it’s okay. Technically speaking.


>Mashu: “Mr Leonardo, don’t you need a driver’s license!?
>Da Vinci: “No need, no need, after all, it has no engine. It runs somewhat like a bicycle. It uses magic energy instead of gasoline, and the speed’s limited to about sixty kilometres per hour. Hop in, gentlemen, and say goodbye to physical exertion! Our objective is approximately 100 kilometres to the west. Once we cross the desert, our true goal should be in sight!”

…you’re going to the east though. Was that a typo, or Sakurai just didn’t check the map?

>Mashu: “Roger!”
>Fou: “Fou!”
>Protagonist: “Hi-ho!”
>???: “Yeah!”
>Mashu: “…”
>Da Vinci: “…”
>Fou: “…u?”
>???: “---Y-yeah!!!”
>Mashu: “Excessive excitement discovered, Master! They surrounded us before we knew it! I won’t allow them to interrupt the celebration of Senpai’s first time driving. I’ll wipe them all at once!”

And then you fight some Hassans and the chapter ends.


6)

>Mashu: “We have left the sandstorm belt and the buggy is in perfect condition! Very nice, Senpai! B-by the way… are you tired of driving? If you were, I could take over…”
>Protagonist: “I’m not giving you the wheel.”
>Mashu: “No, now, don’t say that. Just go talk with Da Vinci-chan in the back seat. I’ll handle the wheel and… yes, I’ll show you I can make a splendid jump over this dune!”
>Da Vinci: “You’re switching? Yes, yes, it’s dangerous to drive for more than one hour in a row. Want something to eat? A massage? Maybe want to make some fresh juice?”
>Protagonist: “This thing is way too convenient.”

Da Vinci tells you to order whatever you’d like, and that you’ll be able to take off the breathing mask soon since the energy concentration in the air is getting closer to normal as you leave the desert.

>Protagonist: “You see to be having fun.”
>Da Vinci: “Really? I must be doing a good job bluffing if you think so. There is nothing that can extinguish the Mona Lisa’s smile. Whatever your worries are, one should keep laughing. Things are getting better though; once we leave the desert, we’ll be able to contact Roman.”
>Protagonist: “The Doctor must be worried too.”
>Da Vinci: “Haha, that’s right. But this is good too if I’m honest. At least now Roman can get some rest. He has been going without sleep since the Grand Order began.”
>Protagonist: “The doctor hasn’t been sleeping?”
>Da Vinci: “That’s right. Chaldea’s staff lost more than sixty people I the incident. How did you think that difference was compensated? Romani’s not only taking care of medical matters. The machinery’s maintenance. SHIVA’s maintenance. Regulation of Chaldea’s furnace. Battle strategy and Ley Shift management. Even mental care of the remaining staff, especially you. Lacking any outside aid, the only thing left to do is to manage with what we have. Managing all this would be the work of a genius… but Romani is neither a genius nor a Heroic Spirit. He’s a simple human being. For a normal person like him to handle a genius’ work, he must sacrifice his time and health. And yet that is not enough, so he’s been taking medicines to disguise his fatigue.”
>Protagonist: “I kind of realized…”
>Da Vinci: “Good. That is a small recompense for his efforts. Also, communication with Chaldea isn’t just a simple transmission. While Singularities might exist in reality but they are worlds built of possibilities, your presence here is vague and hazy. You do not belong in the Thirteenth century, so from the World’s point of view, your existence here is uncertain. In order for your existence not to vanish, your being is being constantly confirmed by Chaldea.”

This is definitely Nasu writing, he loves this damn concept. Long story short, by monitoring (observing) you from Chaldea, your existence is made real. Roman watches, therefore you exist. If he were to turn away and stop monitoring you, you‘d run a risk of blinking out of existence, so in a way, he’s literally holding you from oblivion by watching over you.

>Protagonist: “But Doctor Roman, he… Mashu…”
>Da Vinci: “Ah, the conversation from before the Ley Shift. Yes, that’s right. Roman was beside the one responsible for the experiments. It’s alright for you to feel anger and suspicion. I also reproached Marisbilly and Roman from the moment I was summoned."

Hold on, hold on, I know.

>Protagonist: “Marisbilly?”

Let me get to it.

>Da Vinci: “Ah, didn’t you know? Marisbilly Animusphere. Olgamarie’s father, Chaldea’s previous Director.”

I always knew the day would come. Time for the task everyone who’s translated any Nasu stuff always dreads: untangling his ridiculous foreign names. This time it’s マリスビリー, and if you can figure out a less fucking regarded romanization, by all means bring it up. It’s definitely FATHER, not mother, so “Marisbelle” is out.

Anyway, you’re intercepted by some enemies, so you fight them off and the chapter ends.


7)

The buggy leaps over a dune and you finally leave the desert, arriving right at a smoking crater where temperatures reach 48 degrees, humidity is 0 and magic energy concentration is 0.3 milligrams… per what? Is that high or low? No idea.

Da Vinci assumes that this was Solomon’s doing, but you’re interrupted as you’re surrounded by a group of robed figures.

>???: “Food… it’s food… water too… and a tasty looking woman… they’ve ran from the Sun King’s man-eating beasts. Hihihihihi! Thank you, thank you for surviving for our sake… Kill…! Kill…! Meat, meat meat…!
>Mashu: “These are humans!”

>Da Vinci: “Nonlethal attacks are fine, but only within reasonable bounds. They’re already halfway to turning into ghouls. At this stage, these are no longer people. They now exist only to feel hatred, pain and hurt others. They don’t have long to live in this state. It seems this is the kind of age this has turned into, but we are here to fight against that kind of age. Pick up your sword, Master! It’s time to throw away your virginity!”

…don’t look at me, that’s a pretty straightforward sentence. Let’s assume he means popping your cherry by facing something you haven’t before. Or something. I’ve seen japs on twitter double-taking at that too.




After the fight.

>???: “Damnit…! Damnit…! I thought we’d finally gotten some good meat! Shit! Shit! Why don’t you let us kill you! Shit! Shit!”

You fight them off as peacefully as you can, though Da Vinci tries to gently convince you that there’s no point in being gentle here since they’re better off being put out their misery. You still grumble back and suggest leaving them some food and water and Mashu backs you up.

>Da Vinci: “Alright. This is merely for your peace of mind, but even a mouthful of water can brighten someone’s life. Alright, you despairing gentlemen! Forget about tomorrow, but have this and revive for just half a day!”

You toss some provisions at them, which they lunge at while you get ready to leave, when one of the robbed figures suddenly stops and calls you out. He asks you if you’re going east to the Holy city (so yeah, that was a typo before?) He says that’s the city of the Lion King, who killed the crusaders who were burning up the world. This confirms what you’ve heard so far and sends Da Vinci into deep thought.

>???: “Be careful. That place is as beautiful as is terrifying. Do not get near the walls. If you don’t want to die, return to the desert!”

You thank for the advice and then continue.



The sun is setting as you keep travelling, and Roman finally re-establishes communication.

>Roman: “Finally, it went through! Is everyone alright!? Was there some unexpected accident!?”
>Protagonist: “Ahh, that's reassuring~”

He was picking up your signals without problems, but he couldn’t communicate at all. He apologizes for leaving you without support until now, and then you explain what’s been happening. Apparently, Egypt getting time-shifted onto the 13th century screwed up the calibrations and caused you to look contact just as Da Vinci guessed, so he tells you to avoid the area for now.

>Roman: “But, King Ozymandias, huh? A really troublesome one showed up. Still, there ought to be some reliable allies here too. Ozymandias mentioned the Lion King, didn’t he? Then that’s without a doubt Richard I. The Lionheart should be able to deal with the Sun King one way or another, so if you meet up with the crusaders and have Rich---What’s with that face? Did I say something strange?”
>Da Vinci: “Alright, it’s Da Vinci-chan’s turn! Roman, you wanted to hear about unexpected accidents? Well, rejoice: the crusaders have already been eliminated!”
>Roman: “WHAT!? Hold it, I’ll say it again: WHAT!?”
>Protagonist: “Who’s Richard I?”

Cue Mashu and another cliffnotes history lesson. Roman then starts pulling up the observation data for the area and confirms there’s a massive city there and wonders who the hell is occupying it if the crusaders are dead.

>Roman: “Wait, before that, I’m getting a life signal! Five hundred metres ahead, a powerful Servant signature!”
>Mashu: “Understood. Master, should we leave the buggy for now?”
>Protagonist: “Let’s take a look without being seen.”



It’s a Hassan, though it doesn’t seem to be Hundred Face in spite of the sprite. The name tag says煙酔のﾊｻﾝ, the kanji meaning Smoke/Fume and Drunk/Poisoned respectively (Fume-Drunk Hassan?). She’s escorting some civilians, but it seems a red-haired archer caught up with her.

>???: “Sad. I am sad, Old Man of the Mountain. Were you by yourself, you could escape from this predicament… yet you have accepted your destiny. Those people cowering behind you are from the Holy City. You linger here to protect those refugees. In order to protect something without worth, something worthy will be lost. That is why I am sad.”

Mashu identifies them as Assassin and Archer, and counts about forty civilians behind Hassan.

>Mashu: “And… Master… When I look at that Archer, I can’t stop trembling. My chest hurts…”
>Protagonist: “Let’s help Hassan.”
>Da Vinci: [Looking freaked out] “No. Don’t take one more step. You’ll be discovered. If you’re discovered, it’s all over. We’ll be killed by that Archer. That’s the ‘Gift’.”




>Hassan: “Worth? You say my life has more worth than theirs?”
>???: “That is correct. It would be difficult to capture you with my bow.”
>Hassan: “Then let us make a deal. If your code of chivalry is true, then I will hand over my life to you. In exchange, let these people go.”

He compliments her, but refuses, saying that he can’t.

>Hassan: “Then your right arm and feet. In return for my head, I will take your right arm and feet. I will seal them for this day. Since it’s in exchange for my pathetic head, it ought to be an even trade.”

She tells the humans to run to the east (not west? Another typo?) where Cursed Arm is and commits suicide. But just as they begin to flee, the archer twangs the string of his bow and one of the women gets cut in half.

>???: “My bewitching Fail Not strings use no arrows. By playing the string, my foes are cut by the sound blades. Without taking one step nor preparing in advance, I can cut the enemy like a sack of flesh in one breath.”
>Peasant: “Help, help!”
>???: “Foolish Old Man of the Mountain. What you should have said is ‘not move even one finger’.”


>Da Vinci: “Bear it. If we go out now, we’ll be killed. I’m not exaggerating, that Archer is stronger than any Servant so far. We can do nothing but hide until he leaves.”





Once he leaves, you search for survivors but find none and start wondering whether three was a reason for it or if he was just a psychopath, when suddenly a spectre shows up. Roman says it’s a Shadow Servant made of leftover resentment that’s gone berserk, and Mashu says that as a fellow knight she should make sure it rests in peace.


After the fight, the ghost thanks you for your assistance and begs you to please bury the others, before vanishing.

>Ghost: “In the end, I could not nothing but fight. Laugh at my inexperience, Cursed Arm…”
>Mashu: “Master... uhm…”
>Protagonist: “Teach me how they bury people in this country.”


Later on, you’re apparently escorting woman you saved from some robbers (I didn’t skip that, the story just hopped forward.) She asks you to take her to the Holy city, talking about how the Crusaders were killing everyone before the glorious Lion King came and defeated them. She doesn’t know where the knights came from, but she’s just grateful they dealt with the crusaders. She admits they did just up and set kip on the Holy City, but since it’s an eternal place bestowed by God, their prayers will continue even if the city takes another shape.

>Da Vinci: (The Lion King defeated the Crusaders… this sounds less and less like Richard I.)





The city apparently takes refugees from everywhere, or so the woman heard. There is a special day at the beginning of each month where they allow them in, so the woman’s going there after her village was burned down. About half the survivors there were not fond of the knights though, so they instead joined the mountain dwellers.

You thank her form the information, and then you get together to try and puzzle things out.

>Mashu: “It’s hard to see who’s an enemy and who’s an ally. The Egyptian King Ozymandias, the Lion King who lives in the place known as the Holy City, and then there’s the skull-faced servants we’ve met twice before. Seems they’re all Assassins.”
>Roman: “In this age, the skull-faced assassins would be the Old Men of the Mountain assassin sect. This area is their territory. In fact, the word Assassin comes from them.”
>Mashu: “Sun King, Lion King, and the Assassin sect. Is it a three-way deadlock?”
>Protagonist: “The Sun King is weak to the Lion King, the Lion King is weak to the Assassins…”
>Da Vinci: “And the Assassins are weak to the Sun King? You think it’s like that?”

Da Vinci then starts a bunch of guesswork based on Lucius having told him that the Lion King would have no reason to kidnap Nitocris. The gist is that the Lion King and Ozymandias might have signed a non-aggression pact and settled into a cold war with each other without leaving their respective territories, while the Assassins ended up being a hassle for both.

In any case, you continue towards the Holy City.


8)

You reach the walls of the Holy City, where over a thousand people are camped outside waiting for the ceremony to be allowed in. You are then approached by a kindly man in a turban and his friends, who gently suggest you turn back and to let him buy everything you have at 10% market price.

>Da Vinci: “I see, so you’re a highwayman aiming for the refugees. I have to say, that’s really efficient!”

So you beat the shit out of him until he surrenders. Da Vinci guesses he probably used to be a Muslim merchant from his accent, and he tells you how Lion King’s forces wiped out most of his colleagues and he only barely managed to survive by keeping his head down. He then tells you that the part about turning back was real advice before escaping in a hurry since you’re all scary and weird and he doesn’t want to get involved.

>Thief: “Humans shouldn’t get close to that castle.”



Roman says that he’s not getting any Servant signals despite there being some really strong folks around and wonders if it’s the same case as in London. To recap: a few of the characters in London weren’t actually Servants, but rather the real people displaced from their proper ages due to Singularity timeline fuckery. I can’t exactly recall who was real and who wasn’t, but pretty sure Fran and Jekyll were the real ones.

Under Roman’s suggestion, you cover yourself with some hoods and get near the gate, where’s there’s suddenly some activity. No, there’s no mention of Mashu’s retarded tiny cape leaving the fuckhuge shield in view. I guess it’s supposed to be a non-stupid disguise but they couldn’t be arsed to redraw the sprite.

Roman detects a heavy magic energy concentration close by as Mashu says the gate is opening. Knights suddenly file out and surround the refugee camp, and suddenly the night turns to day as if someone had flipped a light switch.

>Protagonist: “Sorry, did I fall asleep!?”

>???: “Please do not panic, this is a miracle brought about by the Lion King. I was granted the gift of “always receiving the blessing of the sun” by my king.”
>Mashu: “Master, a knight appeared from the main gate. That is… that person…”
>Refugees: “Sir Gawain! The Knight of the Round Table, Sir Gawain! The ceremony has begun, we will enter the Holy City!”
>Roman: “They’ve begin accepting the refugees!? There’s a tremendous Servant signature coming from there!”
>Da Vinci: [Looking shocked] “This is the worst… can’t be, such a thing…”
>Roman: “Leonardo? What is it? This isn’t like you.”
>Da Vinci: “We need to turn back, we may still make it….”


Gawain thanks everyone for assembling at the gates, telling them that the Age of Man has ended but that their city of Camelot will endure, and that a perfect world awaits them on the other side of the gates. There is great rejoicing among the peasants, who admire how brilliant the knights look even if they’re foreigners. Gawain thanks them for the cheering and says that all are welcome regardless of their beliefs or precedence, but that there is one last thing to do before they are granted the king’s forgiveness.

>Refugees: “Who’s that coming from the main gate!? That is…!”
>Lion-Helmeted Knight: “Only the ones who have been conducted to the furthest end will be taken. The basis of humanity is to fall in decay. Therefore, I shall select you. An untainted soul. A soul uncorrupted by evil. Those bearing eternal purity from birth.”

A few of the refugees start glowing, to the amusement of the child of one of the glowing women, and when it ends, the Lion King orders Gawain to collect only those three that were shining. Gawain turns to the refugees and says it’s regrettable, but that the King’s judgement must be upheld and they will now begin with the… I guess I should explain the pun already.

The ceremony is referred to as セイバツ, a term that can mean conquest, subjugation or punishment. What the Lion King just did and has been mentioned so far is written as 聖抜, which is not a dictionary word but means roughly “divine extraction”. What Gawain just said will now begin is written as 聖罰, which IS a real word and means “divine punishment.” So first they take the pure-souled ones, and then…

>Knight: “….”
>Refugee Woman: “Is… is that so…? Wait, why are you readying your sword…?”

They start massacring the rest.


Hell breaks loose as the knights start killing the refugees en masse, but Da Vinci tells you that you should make a run for it as soon as you can.

>Da Vinci: “Do you understand?”
>Protagonist: “Alright, let’s help everyone break through!”
>Mashu: “Alright, I’ll smash through one part of the knight enclosure! Anywhere is fine! Master, please lend me your magic energy, I definitely won’t lose!”
>Da Vinci: “Haaah… This was going to happen either way, wasn’t it? Oh well, I really am too muti-talented…”
>Roman: “Leonardo!”
>Da Vinci: “I was just monologuing! I agree with our Master. We may not be able to save the whole thousand, but we might be able to help at least a hundred!”


You manage to smash one of the flanks and let a few of the refugees escape, and notice that the knights turn to sparkly dust when they die. Roman says they’re mostly human, but give off Heroic Spirit-like readings too, and that they’re magically created living instruments.

>Roman: “This is not the work of human beings… is that Lion King really a Heroic Spirit!?”

One of the knights sends word to Sir Agravain, and Roman tells you to scram as he detects multiple forces closing in on you. Mashu refuses to leave while there’s still civilians in danger, and Roman then detects another magical energy reaction towards the east, where someone else seems to be fighting. Since this takes the heat off you a little, he tells Da Vinci to back you up and you hold the line for a bit longer.



Back at the gates, one of the knights is trying to drag one of the selected women into the city, but she’s fighting back as her son Rushd was knocked unconscious and is being left behind, so she begs the knight to take him.

>Knight: “That child has not been selected. Forget it. Your body does not belong to you anymore. There are no exceptions. That deep affections is not allowed. An ideal soul is not allowed freedom to act as a human being.”

The Knight refuses her pleading, but says that in deference to her devotion to her faith, he’ll let the kid go with her God and moves in to kill him, but the woman jumps in front of the attack and is stabbed instead just as the kid wakes up.

>Rushd: “Mom…? What is it…? Is it morning already…?”
>Mother. “Ahh, Rushd. I’m glad… My hope… my life… please live well…”
>Rushd: “Mom, why are you crying? Did something sad happen? You’re such a crybaby, and why are you hugging me so tight…?”
>Knight: “Chokhmah 2 reporting. One life has ceased activity. Loss confirmed. She has proven unworthy of entering the Holy City. Will resume Holy Punishment after disposing of the child. Report over.”

The knight moves towards the kid.

>Rushd: “Are you a friend of my mom?”
>Knight: “What disrespect. I am a knight enforcer, do not compare me to a deserter. Your mother’s selection must have been a mistake. You are nothing but vulgar mountain dwellers after all…”
>Mashu: “Waaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Mashu then goes fucking apeshit on the knight and kills him on her own.


>Mashu: [Sobbing] “U… kuh… enemy… knight… defeated… but, even though I saw them… I couldn’t make it in time…”

You yell at Mashu to guard the kid and Roman tells you to flee to the west quickly, but Gawain intercepts you.

>Gawain: “The sin of disturbing the gates of the holy city is worthy of certain death. I am Gawain, the Knight of the Round Table. As the one entrusted with dealing out the divine punishment, I will judge you here.”
>Roman: “Sir Gawain! The one called the Knight of the Sun, wielder of the second holy sword! There’s no doubt now, the ones who destroyed the Crusaders and set up the Holy City here in the Holy Land are the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur’s knights!”
>Protagonist: “The one we met in the Singularity F!”
>Roman: “No, that was King Arthur without a doubt, but it was a different aspect. The spirit body of the Servant we just observed is far beyond the one recorded in our data! It can’t even be fit in the category of Servant anymore, but… why did King Arthur turn into such a monster!?”
>Gawain: “So there’s a magician using far-sight magic, is there? You must be the protectors of humanity then. ’When the foreign star shines, the white wall will be cracked by conspiracy, the King’s authority will darken and the oracle’s tower will crumble.’ It’s unfortunately, had we not met like this we may have been able to coexist.”


>Roman: “The magic energy reaction is growing several times over! It’s Gawain’s willpower… The sword known as Excalibur’s sister that Gawain possesses, he’s the wielder of the Noble Phantasm second to King Arthur’s in power! And it’s noon right now!? You have no hope of victory, evacuate now!!”
>Protagonist: “What about noon!?”
>Roman: “The Numeral of the Saint is strengthening his body! The Servant Gawain is invincible during the day!”
>Gawain: “It is already impossible for you to run. In order to open a route of escape for the refugees and rescue this child, you leapt into the enemy ranks. This result is the price of that action. Or did you perhaps act beyond the reach of your resolve?”

Without a choice, you rush forward and fight Gawain.


>Mashu: “It’s impossible, Master! Our attacks do not work on him during the day!”
>Da Vinci: “And he’s going easy to boot. He’s not even using his Noble Phantasm.”
>Gawain: “Ohh, seems you still have some room to breathe. Of course, I won’t use the holy sword. You are not such worthy enemies. I will dispose of you as I would simple brigands.”
>Mashu: [Wincing] “….”
>Da Vinci: [To you] (Did you notice? Mashu’s been in bad shape for a while. Her hands and feet aren’t just clenched in fear, she’s fundamentally incapable of seeing Gawain as an enemy. This is really bad, if we could only buy some time…)
>Fou: “Fou, fou!”
>Protagonist: “Gawain! Why are you doing this!?”
>Mashu: “Master!?”
>Gawain: “Truthfully, it’s not something I should say… but you are jumping into danger to protect a woman, so there’s no way I could not reply. What is your name, foreign master?”
>Protagonist: “I’m [name]”
>Gawain: “Thank you. Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Gawain. I am a knight who serves King Arthur, the pure white Lion King, the King of Knights who built this city to protect humanity. We seek the completion of an earthly paradise where no one will be hurt. So that the King’s law be upheld and the pure white kingdom may last for a thousand years, we select those humans of the greatest purity and execute the rest as sinners. This is all. We act accordingly to what we believe is correct.”


He tells you to prepare yourself and accept your destiny since he doesn’t want to make you suffer and attacks. Mashu jumps in between you, and Gawain asks her how she can fight him even though he feels no hostility from her.

>Gawain: “You said you’d protect that child and defeated the enforcer who killed his mother with such hatred. And yet you do not turn those feelings towards me. Is that alright? I am the one who killed her. This divine punishment is being dealt under my command. This slaughter has been allowed by me. The knight enforcers simply follow orders, the one whom you should hate is me, their commander. Realize it already, to come into the battlefield without realizing this is an insult to us all!”

He leaps at her and is about to finish her off, but his attack is suddenly intercepted.

>Lucius: “That will be enough, Sir Gawain. You fight for you own beliefs, but have no right to censure someone who fights for different reason.”
>Gawain: “Wh… you… you are…”
>Protagonist: “Lucius!”
>Lucius: “Leave the greetings for later! Focus your attention on the enemy for now! I will deal with the Knight’s Gift! You need not fear Sir Gawain! After all, you will not lose. It’s not a matter of strength, but of how things should be. To oppose the strong and protect the weak, above all else that determination is always correct! This glow is for your sake! Take in the sword, silver arm! Switch On Airgetlám!”
>Gawain: “Impossible, impossible! Why are you here!? No, first of all, Sir Bedivere! Why are you, a Knight of the Round Table, turning against our King!?”
>Protagonist: “Eh!?”


>Gawain: “My Galatine is being pushed back. Impossible, is that really Nuada’s arm!?”
>Bedivere: “Gh… uuuuuuuuuh!”
>Mashu: “This smell… are you burning!? The interior of your body is…!”
>Bedivere: “Don’t worry about it! Hurry up now, retreat at once!”

While you were fighting Gawain, Da Vinci took care of some of the enemies behind you and opened an escape route, so she tells you to scram since fighting Gawain during the day is impossible.

>Mashu: “Luciu… no, Bedivere san! Come with us!”

Mashu then picks him up

>Bedivere: “A, hya-! Y-you’re quite strong, lady! You can pick me up with one hand even while holding that shield!”

Mashu asks you to pick up the little kid, and Sa Vinci throws some smoke bombs to cover your retreat, leaving Gawain standing there wondering why the hell Bedivere showed up.